Sanghamaitri farming reaps big

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: B Wilson retired from Kerala Police seven years ago. His elder son is one of the five CRPF personnel engaged in the security of the Prime Minister’s Office. But, except for the heavy mustache, nothing about him gives away his yesteryear identity.These days, he is a successful farmer and a member of Sanghamaitri, a farmers’ marketing body based in Pallichal in the district.On Friday, it was his turn to manage the only mobile unit of Sanghamaitri that brings fresh bananas and vegetables, cultivated by farmers under the collective spread across 50 panchayats in Thiruvananthapuram, to the city. At sharp 11 am, the mobile unit parked itself right opposite VJT Hall, as it has been doing for the last seven years."I had always loved farming. Once retired, I decided to get into it whole-heartedly,’’ Wilson would put it that simple. But members like Wilson has made Sanghamaitri what it is today.On Thursday, Sanghamaitri distributed Rs 15 lakh (which was their profit after the net sales of Rs 15 crore last year) among the 1,800 farmers under the collective.Only last week, a national accolade had come calling on Sanghamaitri. The National Research Centre for Banana had recognised the collective as the best in banana cultivation in the country."Most farmers under Sanghamaitri do not own lands, but they have leased out farm lands to make wonders. The technological support and know-how are given, cultivated produce directly taken to the consumers and profit distributed among the farmers at the end of the year. Absence of middlemen makes it a pro-farmer movement,’’ says R Balachandran Nair, Sanghamaitri chairman.From scientists, filmmakers and retired government officials, the members of Sanghamaitri would present an interesting study. Most of them have let their passion for farming take a new route with Sanghamaitri. In the last few years, they have taken 200 lakh tonnes of fruits, vegetables and banana to the market without middlemen.It has one mobile unit and four retail units in the city. It recently opened a women’s unit which makes handicrafts out of plantain fibre in Kunnathukal.With Onam round the corner, the farmers are on a high. It is that time of the year when their products are most sought after. For the last five years, they have been exporting bananas to Delhi Malayalee Association during Onam.With every year, the demand is only going up and the collective keeps expanding. Who said agriculture is a bygone philosophy?